Dishonored: Death of the Outsider is not Dishonored 3, nor is it a DLC expansion to 2016's Dishonored 2. It's not quite so big as to qualify it as a sequel, but it's not as compact as your run-of-the-mill DLC, either. Death of the Outsider is its own beast, set several months after the events of Dishonored 2 and giving players control of a new set of abilities and weapons.

Harvey Smith, creative director of the franchise, took time to reflect on eight years of developing Dishonored games, how the development team went about scrapping many series tropes to craft a tighter experience that still lets players choose between stealth or blunt force, and how Death of the Outsider puts a bow on the Dishonored franchise—or, at least, this chapter in its story.

Dishonored: Death of the Outsider is a standalone game due for release on September 15 for Xbox One, PS4, and PC. For more interviews and gameplay videos, subscribe to Shacknews on YouTube.

David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen series, and the Gairden Chronicles series of fantasy novels for young adults. Outside of writing, he enjoys playing Mario, Zelda, and Dark Souls games, and will be happy to discuss at length the myriad reasons why Dark Souls 2 is the best in the series. Follow him online at davidlcraddock.com and @davidlcraddock.